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Stafford woman with Lou Gehrig's disease completes New York City Marathon Date published: 11/3/2008
BY CATHY DYSON "Louise the Disease" didn't keep Debbie McGee from finishing the New York City Marathon yesterday, even faster than she'd hoped. The 52-year-old Stafford County runner completed the course in 5 hours and 45 minutes--a quarter of an hour quicker than the goal she'd set for herself. It was the slowest of the 28 marathons she has run, but "it turned out to be better than I had ever imagined." McGee has Lou Gehrig's disease, a condition that eventually will take away her ability to walk and talk, eat and breathe. She plans to continue running as long as she's able, but decided that the New York marathon would be her last competitive event. But she wondered what havoc "Louise the Disease"--the nickname she has for her ailment--would wreak on her body. "There were a couple times on the course when women near me fell," McGee said. "I looked at my friends and said, 'Louise aimed that at me and missed.'" Overall, "Louise" didn't seem to have much impact on the determined runner. McGee, who was one of 38,377 starters, walked the first mile, just as she'd planned. She slowed again when she felt tired or faced a daunting hill. "Then, I got to mile 20 or 21, and instead of feeling depleted, I felt stronger," she said. As the race ended, she felt "a little funky" in her right quad and slowed once more. When she crossed the finish line after 26.2 miles, she cried like a baby, overwhelmed by both the physical and mental exertion. She hadn't fallen--which was her biggest fear going into the race--and two of her friends slowed their pace enough to stay with her through every step. By last night, McGee celebrated with fellow runners and Spotsylvania County residents Birdie Clark and Lynn Millholland, before heading out to dinner. Her feet were aching, but her spirit was soaring. "There I was, this person with Lou Gehrig's disease, and I was still running strong and passing people," she said, as if she still couldn't believe it herself. "I'm just grateful that I was given this last opportunity to run this race. What a gift, what a gift."
Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
As I said in comments on the original story, you are an inspiration and a blessing to us all!
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